ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Law and Justice
eCourts Services through Common Service Centres
Court case information such as judicial proceedings/decisions, case registration, cause list, case status, daily orders, and final judgments of all computerized district and subordinate courts of the country will now be available across all Common Service Centers in the country.
The Government of India had initiated second phase of the eCourts project as one of the National e-Governance projects, in August, 2015 with an outlay of Rs.1670 crores. As on date, 16845 district and subordinate courts has been IT enabled.
The eCourts project has made significant progress under the guidance of e-Committee of Supreme Court of India in computerizing district and subordinate courts of the country through installation of case information software, hardware and local area network in courts. They are also being connected on Wide Area Network through a dedicated network offering bandwidth upto 100 Mbps. eCourts services have now been successfully rolled out through SMS, email, web, mobile app etc. benefiting millions of litigants and advocates.
In order to provide efficient and time-bound access to the Courts services to litigant public, who are on the other side of the digital divide and don’t have access to internet, the Department of Justice has decided to deliver eCourts services to them through around 2 lakh Common Service Centres .
The rural reach of the CSC's is extensive, envisaging a minimum of one CSC in each Gram Panchayat, thus enabling eCourts services to reach all corners of the country. The collaboration between Department of Justice and Common Service Centers would thus mean that litigants can access easily, and readily case status information available on eCourts database from any CSC. The eCourts database contains case information in respect of over 10 crore cases and more than 7 crore orders / judgments.
To ensure affordability, Department of Justice has decided not to charge any fee from the customers for eCourts related services delivered through CSC's. However towards cost of service, CSC's has been authorized to charge Rs.5/- for any of the 23 services available on Courts portal. Printing charges will be Rs.5/- per page, if it is more than one page.
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NITI Aayog
Export Preparedness Index  Report, 2022
NITI Aayog is releasing the third edition of Export Preparedness Index  for States/UTs of India for the year 2022 on July 17, 2023.
The report discusses India’s export performance amid the prevailing global trade context in FY22, followed by an overview of the country’s sector-specific export performance. The report further highlights the need to develop our districts as export hubs in the country and undertakes a district-level analysis of merchandise exports in the country.
EPI is a comprehensive tool which measures the export preparedness of the States and UTs in India. Exports are vital for simulating economic growth and development in a country, which necessitates understanding the factors which influence export performance. The index undertakes a comprehensive analysis of States and UTs across export-related parameters in order to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Developing the methodology for the index is an evolving process which constantly incorporates stakeholder feedback. Thus, the results and rankings published in this edition are not directly comparable to the previous editions, however EPI, with its insights, continues to seek to assist the States and UTs in driving policy changes which are relevant to address their specific challenges.
EPI assess the performance of the States and UTs across four pillars – Policy, Business Ecosystem, Export Ecosystem, and Export Performance. Each pillar is composed of sub-pillars, which in turn capture a state’s performance using relevant indicators.
- Policy Pillar evaluates states and UTs’ performance based on its adoption of export-related policy ecosystem at a state and district level as well as the institutional framework surrounding the ecosystem.
- Business Ecosystem assesses the prevailing business environment in a state/UT, along with the extent of business-supportive infrastructure, and a state/UTs’ transport connectivity.
- Export Ecosystem focuses on the export-related infrastructure in a state/UT along with the trade support provided to the exporters, and the prevalence of Research and Development in the state/UT to foster innovation.
- Export Performance is an output-based indicator which gauges the growth of a state’s export over the previous year and analyses its export concentration and footprint on the global markets.
The report will be released by Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog
With its ranking and scorecards, the report aims to present a comprehensive picture of a states and UT’s export preparedness. It also highlights the achievements of states/UTs and encourages peer-learning among the states/UTs to uphold the spirit of competitive federalism. By improving collaboration among states, and between state and Centre, India can aspire to achieve sustained economic growth and leverage its heterogeneity to foster development at national and sub-national levels.
Ministry of Finance
Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman chairs Pre-Budget consultation with Finance Ministers of States
Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the pre-budget consultations with the Finance Ministers of States and Union Territories  for Union Budget 2022-23 here today. The meeting was attended by Union Minister of State for Finance, Chief Ministers, Deputy Chief Ministers, Finance Ministers, Ministers and Senior Officers from the States and Union Territories  and the Union Government.
The Union Finance Secretary welcomed all the participants to the deliberation and informed the importance of this particular consultation meeting. Most of the participants thanked the Union Finance Minister for financially supporting their States/Union Territories during the worst months of pandemic, by enhancing borrowing limits, providing back to back loans to States, and through Special assistance for capital expenditure. The participants also gave numerous suggestions to the Union Finance Minister for inclusion in the Budget Speech. The Finance Minister thanked the participants for their inputs and suggestions towards Union Budget 2022-23 and assured to examine each of the proposals.
Ministry of Defence
Chief of the Army Staff Reviews Eastern Command Collective Exercise
General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff reviewed the collective training conducted by troops of Eastern Command at Sela, approximately 90 kms from the LAC on 22-23 October 2019.
As part of the annual training schedule of exercises, formations of the Army are conducting exercises in the Desert Sector of the Western Theatre and simultaneously exercises in the Eastern Theater.
The aim of the Exercise was to synergise and validate the activities of all arms and services in high altitude environment. New techniques of acclimatization have also been evolved and validated in the Eastern Command collective training based on recommendations made by the Medical Directorate.
Such exercises are routinely carried out by the Army to evaluate the operational efficiency of formations & units and also to assess the leadership in exercising command and control for their reactions to emerging situations.
Earlier, similar collective training was undertaken by another formation of Eastern Command in the Along Sector.
During the visit, Chief of the Army Staff reviewed the security situation for operational readiness and interacted with the Commanders and troops.
Ministry of Defence
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh approves four-time increase in monetary assistance for Battle Casualties from Rs two lakh to Rs eight lakh
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has given in principle approval to enhancement of monetary assistance to Next of Kin  of all categories of Battle Casualty  from Rs two lakh to Rs eight lakh. The amount will be granted under Army Battle Casualties Welfare Fund .
Earlier, there was a provision of financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the Battle casualties which are fatal, 60 per cent & above disability, battle casualties invalided out due to disability and Rs 1 lakh to disability less than 60 per cent. It was in addition to liberalised family pension, financial assistance from Army Group Insurance, Army Welfare Fund and ex-gratia amount.
The ABCWF has been set up under Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare , Ministry of Defence after a large number of people offered to provide monetary assistance to the families of battle casualties following an incident in February 2016 at Siachen, wherein 10 soldiers were buried in an avalanche. The ABCWF was instituted in July 2017 and was implemented retrospectively with effect from April 2016.
The fund was created under the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890. A Bank Account bearing No. 90552010165915 was opened in the South Block Branch of Syndicate Bank, New Delhi for public to deposit money.
This fund is in addition to the various existing schemes for the welfare of NoK and children of battle casualties in form of additional ex gratia.
In addition to the above assistance, the already existing monetary grant includes ex-gratia  for various ranks ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 45 lakh and Army Group Insurance ranging from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 75 lakh.
Rs 60,000 under Death Link Insurance Scheme, DLICS ; Rs 15,000 under Army Wives Welfare Association ; full reimbursement of tuition fees for wards; up to 70% concession on railway tickets and marriage grant for daughters, widow remarriage and orphan son’s marriage of battle casualties  and physical casualties  are also among the immediate & long-term assistance provided by the Ministry.
Earlier, when he was Minister of Home Affairs, Shri Rajnath Singh had launched ‘Bharat ke Veer fund’ to assist families of paramilitary personnel killed or injured in action. The fund became hugely popular within a short span of time and received widespread support from all quarters.
Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation
Payroll Reporting in India – A Formal Employment Perspective
The National Statistical Office , Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the press note on Employment Outlook of the country covering the period September, 2017 to June, 2023 based on the administrative records available with selected government agencies to assess the progress in certain dimensions.
A detailed note is annexed.
Ministry of Science & Technology
New multifunctional heat sinks can dissipate heat from mechanical devices more efficiently
Indian Scientists have developed a multifunctional heat sink enabled by 3D printing, which can dissipate heat from mechanical devices at 50 percent enhanced rate compared to conventional sinks.
Existing approaches for heat exchanging and heat sink achieve different functions using dedicated units. In the new technology, multiple functions have been integrated together in a single unit. It can also be used to develop heat pipes, vapour chambers, heat exchangers and noise reducing heat sinks.
The technology enabled by 3D printing in combination with electroplating was developed to withstand load while dissipating heat by Dr Shankar Krishnan, Associate Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay with support from the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. He has also filed a national patent on ‘noise reducing heat sinks’ and international patent will be applied subsequently. Experimental as well as computational validation has been carried out.
The technology is lightweight and can bear mechanical compressional loads, dissipate heat and absorb sound/noise. It can be used in the electronics cooling, electronics as well as power/cooling industry.
Based on open-literature survey, no such product exists in the market presently. Thermal management of electronics is a ten-billion-dollar market and is a potential beneficiary of this technology. Additionally, any fan-mounted heat exchanger can benefit from this development. Cost is a risk factor but partnering with high volume manufacturers will reduce this risk.
The technology is in third stage of Technology readiness levels  and Prof. Krishnan is in discussions with major semiconductor manufacturer or high volume manufacturing and will work further to enable compact noise  reducing heat sinks.
Fig: Electroplated Sample
Fig: Octet Porous Flow-through Fin Heat Sinks
[For more details, Prof. Shankar Krishnan  can be contacted.[
Ministry of Finance
Income Tax Department conducts search in Ahmedabad
The Income Tax Department conducted a search & seizure action based on credible intelligence on 08.10.2020 at Ahmedabad in the case of a group engaged in the businesses of real estate, construction and land trading. Search was conducted at 27 premises, which included offices and residences of some associates also.
During the search unexplained cash of around Rs. 69 lakh and jewellery of around Rs. 82 lakh have been seized till now. Besides, 18 bank lockers have been found and placed under restraint. A large number of incriminating documents and digital data in mobile phones, pen-drives and computers have also been found and seized.
The group had around 96 companies at a few common addresses, which were being used for routing money and for land holding. Most of the companies are found to have no real business and very few returns of income have been filed. Many have not filed returns with ROC. Some directors of these concerns, other than main family members, have accepted to be dummy directors with mere signing roles.
Innovative methods of tax evasion by increasing the cost of properties through intra-group transactions, on which tax is not paid, have been noticed. Substantial evidences of transactions outside the regular books of accounts, unaccounted cash expenses, and cash advances received and interest paid in cash have been found. Evidences of on-money transactions and corresponding unaccounted investments of about Rs. 100 crore in real estate projects-flats, shops and land deals have been found.
A large number of documents relating to properties, held in the names of several cooperative societies, have been found from a secret location. The real owners of these land holdings are being investigated and applicability of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 is also being examined. Registered and notarized sale-purchase agreements of agricultural lands with substantial cash component have also been found. At one of the premises, evidences pertaining to unaccounted property transactions uptoRs. 150 crore have been found.
Further investigations are in progress.
Prime Minister's Office
PM expresses happiness after enthusiastic response towards Har Ghar Tiranga movement
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed happiness after the enthusiastic response towards Har Ghar Tiranga movement.
In a response to the tweet by MyGovIndia the Prime Minister said:
“Overjoyed by the enthusiastic response towards #HarGharTiranga movement.”
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
India will emerge as the torchbearer of banking reforms, says Dr. Jitendra Singh
The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region , Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh has said India will emerge as the torchbearer of banking reforms in the world as we aim to be a global superpower. Inaugurating the two-day India Banking Conclave here today, he said under the leadership of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government has unleashed the huge potential our Banking Sector is capable of during the last more than five years. “This marks the beginning of India’s journey towards achieving the $5 trillion economy,” he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said the Government’s thrust on ‘Make in India’ and ‘Ease of doing Business’ is dependent primarily upon the ‘Ease of Banking’, besides improved communication, digitalization and connectivity.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana has transformed the banking landscape in the country. “From being a Zero Balance account scheme for every family, the deposits under the scheme have swelled to thousands of crores,” he said. “This proves the Jan Dhan Yojana is not only about economic empowerment, but it has become a matter of self-esteem for the poor as they rise to contribute to India’s economy,” he added.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said several such innovative schemes including the Ujjwala Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Mudra Yojana, Stand Up India- Start Up India schemes, PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, geotagging of NG-NREGA and DBT have stopped pilferage and helped better target welfare schemes for poverty alleviation. Minimum Pension has been raised to Rs.1,000 at the initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. “For the first time initial seed capital funding has been introduced under the Venture Fund in the North-Eastern Region with an aim to stem the exodus of people,” he said. “It is the vision of Shri Narendra Modi that the nearly century old Indian Forest Act, 1927 was amended to exempt bamboo from its purview and promote its commercial exploitation which will create jobs and industry in the NER,” he added.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said in 2014, soon after taking over the reins of the Government, the Prime Minister had said he is committed to serve the welfare of the poor. “This is the beginning of a journey from pessimism to optimism,” said Dr. Jitendra Singh quoting from his tweet on the day Shri Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister for the first time in 2014.
Cabinet
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Nepal for construction of bridge over Mahakali River at Dharchula  – Dharchula 
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today has approved the Memorandum of Understanding  between India and Nepal for construction of bridge over Mahakali River at Dharchula - Dharchula .
With the signing of MoU, diplomatic relation between the two countries will further improve.
Background:
As close neighbours, India and Nepal share unique ties of friendship and cooperation characterized by an open border and deep-rooted people-to-people contacts of kinship and culture. Both India and Nepal have been working together on different regional forums i.e. SAARC, BIMSTEC as well as global fora.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 UPDATE
135.99 cr vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
India's Active caseload currently stands at 86,415
Active cases account for less than 1% of total cases, currently at 0.25%; Lowest since March 2020
Recovery Rate currently at 98.38%; Highest since March 2020
7,886 recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to 3,41,62,765
7,447 new cases in the last 24 hours
Daily positivity rate  less than 2% for last 74 days
Weekly Positivity Rate  less than 1% for last 33 days
66.15 cr Total Tests conducted so far
Ministry of Home Affairs
Cabinet approves Cadre review of Group “A” General Duty  Cadre and Non-GD cadre of Indo- Tibetan Border Police 
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the proposal of Cadre review of Group “A” General Duty  Cadre and Non-GD cadre of Indo- Tibetan Border Police .The following decisions were taken:
- The decision of Cadre review of Group ‘A’ GD  Cadre and Non-GD Cadre of various ranks from Assistant Commandant to Additional Director General to enhance the supervisory staff in Senior Duty posts of ITBP.
- Creation of two new Commands  to be headed by Additional Director General & assisted by Inspector General.
Major Impact:
- After creation of this Group ‘A’ posts in ITBP, the supervisory efficiency and capacity building of the Force would be enhanced. Timely creation of proposed posts in the Cadre Review of Group ’A’ posts in the Force will enhance its supervisory as well as administrative capabilities.
- The proposal is for creation of 60 posts in Group ‘A’ Executive General duty Cadre and 02 posts in Group ‘A’ Non-GD cadre at various levels.
- This proposal is also for Creation of Two new Commands  to be headed by Additional Director General & assisted by Inspector General.
Implementation:
On the receipt of formal notification/sanction, the newly created posts will be filled up as per the provisions of Recruitment Rules.
Salient Features:
- GD Cadre
Increase of existing structure of Group ‘A’ posts from 1147 to 1207 posts as under:-
- Net increase of 02 posts of Additional Director General
- Net increase of 10 posts of Inspector General
- Net increase of 10 posts of Deputy Inspector General
- Net Increase of 13 posts of Commandant
- Net increase of 16 posts of 21C
- Net increase of 09 posts of Deputy Commandant.
- Non- GD Cadre
- New increase of 02 posts of Inspector General
Background:
Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force was conceptualized in the wake of the Chinese aggression on our Northern Borders in the year 1962. The Force was raised with Four Servicer Battalions in the first instance. Thereafter, the Force has expanded many folds on need basis by way of re-organization & cadre restructuring in the year 1978 and 1987 respectively.
The first Cadre Review of the Force was held in 1988 and the strength of the Force was increased to 27,298. Subsequently second Cadre Review of the Force was held in 2001 and the strength was increased to 32,386. The present strength of the Force is 89,429.
Presently, there is one post of DG, who is the head of the force and one post of ADG in the Force HQ. There are 10 posts of Inspector General/GD cadre authorized in the force. The post of DG & ADG is filled by the IPS officers on deputation, whereas at the rank of Inspector General , 50% posts & at the level of deputation, whereas at the rank of Deputy Inspector General , 80% posts are filled by promotion of cadre officers.